Immigration reform is on life support in Congress. Because of Speaker John Boehner’s total capitulation to the Tea Party, House Republicans are poised to kill any immigration reform bill that provides a viable path to citizenship for millions of Americans.

But there is one thing left that can get a meaningful immigration bill to the president’s desk. A parliamentary tactic called a "discharge petition" could bring an immigration bill to the floor of the House for a vote, even if Speaker Boehner continues to grandstand and obstruct meaningful immigration reform.

That is why we are joining with our friends at DailyKos and MoveOn to call on Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, who recently indicated she would support using a discharge petition on this issue, to force a vote on the House floor on a real immigration reform bill.1

Tell Democratic Leader Pelosi: File a discharge petition that would allow an up-or-down vote on a meaningful immigration reform bill with a viable pathway to citizenship for millions of aspiring Americans.

In order for a discharge petition to work, we need 17 Republicans to break ranks with Speaker Boehner and join House Democrats and the majority of Americans in support of immigration reform.2 But before we can get to work pressuring those Republicans, Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and House Democrats need to file a discharge petition on a good immigration bill that advances family reunification, protects the rights of workers, and, most important, provides a viable path to citizenship for millions of aspiring Americans without any unnecessary, harmful and expensive provisions for excessive border-enforcement measures.3

Democrats in the House were hoping to work with some moderate Republicans to move Speaker Boehner to take up the immigration bill passed by the Senate. However, that strategy has gotten us nowhere because Speaker Boehner and the Republican leadership remain beholden to the right-wing extremists in their party – like Representative Steve King.4

We know that passing a good immigration bill with a discharge petition is a longshot. But with a discharge petition, we can force a vote in the House and members of Congress will have to pick a side.5 They can either stand with us or they'll be forced join Steve King and the racist, anti-immigrant bullies in the Tea Party.

Leader Pelosi has said she supports a discharge petition strategy on immigration.6 Now it is time for her to act.

Tell Democratic Leader Pelosi: File a discharge petition that would allow an up-or-down vote on a meaningful immigration reform bill with a viable pathway to citizenship for millions of aspiring Americans.